BROKEN ARROW, OKLA. – Lavina “Jan” Olson, 80 of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma passed from this life on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at home with her husband, daughters, granddaughters, and sister by her side. She was born October 13, 1938, in Horton, Kansas to her parents, Orville “Smokey” Rice and Louise “Cham” Wamego Rice. She grew up in Topeka, KS the oldest of six children.
Jan was a Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal member who was very proud of her Native American heritage and her Indian name was “Waonquah”. She came to Tulsa in 1957 to begin her career as a beautician after training at Chilocco Indian school. She loved doing hair and served many dear friends, clients and family during her 60 plus year career.
She was married at the age of 21 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma June 24, 1960, to her husband Don at age 25. They enjoyed numerous anniversary celebrations with her lifelong church friends at Sequoia Hills and family.
As a family, she loved to travel to Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Florida, and Acapulco. With her husband Don, she was an avid Oklahoma Sooner fan and had season tickets to OU games for fifty years. She traveled abroad with her daughters Cindy and Beth to Germany, France and England. She visited Beth in California, New York and New Jersey. She enjoyed numerous trips to Sea World, Disneyland, and other theme parks with her daughter Dawn and her granddaughters.
She was a dedicated Sunday school teacher to preschoolers for more than 50 years. She participated in several past times with Bunko and Bingo groups.
She is survived by her loving husband, Donald Gordon Olson of the home; three daughters, Cynthia “Cindy” Kaye Olson of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Dawn Rene Browne of Bixby, Oklahoma and Elizabeth “Beth” Anne Olson of San Francisco, California; two sisters, Elizabeth “Liz” Bartlett of Topeka, Kansas and Sammye Jean Starkey and husband Tom of Topeka, Kansas, two brothers,Orville Rice, Jr. of Topeka, Kansas and Raymond Rice and wife Jeanie of Topeka, Kansas; two grandchildren, Whitney Collins and Fiancee Jeron Wold of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Alexandria Browne of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and several nieces, nephews, friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Louise Rice; brother, Jeffery Rice; sister, Sylvia Rice.
Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2019, at Floral Haven Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at Southwood Baptist Church with Pastor Darrin McKnight officiating. Burial will follow at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Courtesy of Floral Haven Crematory, Funeral Home, Cemetery and Floral Shop